NO. Do you remember Sam I Am? Little small paint pony (or is it called a pinto, I cant remember) had the cutest blue eye. He won all over the country. When they bought him years ago he was, I think, around 4th in the model at Pony Finals. So, NOPE it will not hurt. Send me your email address and I will send you pictures of him in his olden golden years , one shows his pretty eye. www.sugarpony@aol.com

chunky munky

May. 4, 2010, 10:01 AM

Unfortunately I cannot fully agree with Sandy. I think you would not be moved back in the Pony Conformation Hunter by MOST judges for that reason alone. However, I do think that many judges would penalize it in hunter breeding. I am not saying that I agree or disagree with that assessment, just stating my opinion of what you will most likely encounter in that venue. I do not believe that the Welsh breeders penalize that trait in conformation judging.

Tha Ridge

May. 4, 2010, 12:46 PM

Unfortunately I cannot fully agree with Sandy. I think you would not be moved back in the Pony Conformation Hunter by MOST judges for that reason alone. However, I do think that many judges would penalize it in hunter breeding. I am not saying that I agree or disagree with that assessment, just stating my opinion of what you will most likely encounter in that venue. I do not believe that the Welsh breeders penalize that trait in conformation judging.

You just contradicted yourself about three times... So, will or won't it affect judging? First, you say it will, then you say it won't, then you say it will again, then you say Welsh breeder don't penalize it. :confused:

Anyway, FWIW, I don't think it would be penalized either in the model or in hunter breeding. It's nothing that affects soundness or anything of the like.

chunky munky

May. 4, 2010, 01:00 PM

I have not contradicted myself. A class in a pony hunter division that is judged over fences predominantly but those that jog will be judged for conformation is a type of competition where performance will be weighted more heavily. I don't feel if a blue eyed pony performs well that it will in most cases be penalized heavily in that class.
In strictly in hand hunter breeding classes I believe that you will have a good percentage of judges that will not like that trait.
From my discussions with Welsh pony breeders, I have found that in the Welsh world it is not frowned upon.
I find no contradiction here. These are three different types of competition. Yes it will affect judging in many cases, some divisions more than others.
And your response was, I thought, rather rude.

chunky munky

May. 4, 2010, 01:05 PM

By the way, there are plenty of things that don't affect soundness that will be penalized in hunter breeding classes. How about an ugly head? Should that win the model? Some judges will find a blue eye unappealing and that is their right.

NorthFaceFarm

May. 4, 2010, 01:09 PM

The OP didn't ask about breeding classes.

chunky munky

May. 4, 2010, 01:12 PM

Well, I think that I covered all bases. :-) The next question would have been about breeding. And what is a model class but a hunter breeding class for older ponies? My appology for attempting to give a thorough oppinion.

findeight

May. 4, 2010, 01:15 PM

If it is not considered a fault in the Hunter Breeding or Welsh only confo classes, I guess it would not count off-I don't show these and never have so don't know.

But in the USEF Pony Hunter divisions, a judge CAN count against it. Probably wouldn't move you down if you had a steller trip but if you were tied??? That particular judge may drop you. It is judges call based on their preference.

Some buyers also don't care for it, it can be a pricing factor.

It does tend to occur in pintos and those with high white-some don't like that either. Others love it.

PonyPenny

May. 4, 2010, 01:25 PM

Destry Spielberg rode a small pony named "Take a Bow" that had a blue eye and she did very well on it. The pony also placed very well at pony finals.

chunky munky

May. 4, 2010, 01:36 PM

I had one too. It won plenty in performance. Not so much in the model. No one is saying that one can't win. But it can certainly be a factor to many judges. It of course does not matter in classes that are judged strictly on performance. If it does, then you have a bad judge!

findeight

May. 4, 2010, 01:38 PM

USEF Pony Hunters are also judged on their jumps/courses and under saddle so, even if one did get dropped a place or even 2? Not that big an effect on the eventual placings IF they were also good in the other 2.

For all we know, judges may very well have had one down a peg because of something like that blue eye-just does not make a huge difference if they were good over fences and in the U/S. Score is cumulative unless there is a stand alone model class-and then it still is one of 3 used to determine the overall placings in something like PF.

alibi_18

May. 4, 2010, 01:39 PM

Why not just breeding plain brown horses and ponies?

And then we'll be penalised for wearing ugly colored hunter jacket. :D

findeight

May. 4, 2010, 01:45 PM

Why not just breeding plain brown horses and ponies?

And then we'll be penalised for wearing ugly colored hunter jacket. :D

Well, she asked a specific question about Model classses and the Regular Pony division where conformation/model is part of the score. No need to take it anywhere else. The answer is it MIGHT or MIGHT NOT. It probably makes no difference in the final score with a good jumping Pony.

doublesstable

May. 4, 2010, 05:21 PM

Beauty is in the "eye" of the beholder.

I showed a appy in conformation Hunters (he had one blue eye and one brown) and I don't feel he was ever marked down becaues of it....

Saying that, there may be that one judge that doesn't like it. Or I have had people ask me if my horse is blind in that eye.

llsc

May. 4, 2010, 07:17 PM

I think it will depend on the type of blue eye also. Some have that light blue that is very jarring and some have a very dark blue or mixed blue with brown and you barely notice it. A friend of mine has a pony with a half blue, half brown eye that is very dark blue and she wins the model almost every time out. She is a stunning pony and more than deserves to win.

Sugarbrook

May. 4, 2010, 08:54 PM

One of my pure bred welsh broodmares by Pendock Masterpiece has part of a blue eye, that dark blue. I adore it, but alas, she has not passed it to any of her 4 colts she has had. :cry:

Stono Ferry

May. 5, 2010, 01:45 PM

Thanks for all the opinions. Pretty much what I expected.

skrgirl

May. 5, 2010, 02:50 PM

I have a large pony that I showed a bit on the line at A rated shows two years ago. Every single judge would come back to me after the class and tell me they were sorry, but had to pin him down for his half a blue eye on one side.

sarcam02

May. 5, 2010, 05:01 PM

What about using brown contacts...?JK

mroades

May. 5, 2010, 07:33 PM

Not that I will be judging you anytime soon..lol, but it would not matter to me. Nicely set large eye, who cares what color it is!!!